Memories
by Yukirei
Summary: Happy Birthday to Nico Robin of One Piece! A story about Nico Robin and the birthdays she remembers. [WARNING: SPOILERS up to manga chapter 399]


**Memories  
**_By Yukirei (a.k.a. Cosmiko Ling)_

**Warning:** Spoilers up to chapter 399 of manga  
**Pairing: **none  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece or any of its characters. One Piece belongs to Oda Eiichiro-sensei. This is a non-profit fanfiction written by a fan, for the enjoyment of other fans.  
**Summary:** A story about Nico Robin and the birthdays she remembers  
**Author's Notes: **Happy Birthday to Nico Robin of One Piece! (though it's not exactly a happy birthday fic...)  
A short fic for Robin's birthday. Because One Piece's female main characters are COOL! (:D)

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She would always remember...

A cake covered in snow-white cream, held by slender fingers and fair hands on which the soft orange glow of candlelight cast flickering shadows.

A low female voice whispering birthday wishes she couldn't quite recall. She remembered hearing happiness in the voice and feeling the same happiness in her own little heart.

The face of the voice's owner was lost in grey shadows. But in her memories, she could find a face framed by pale hair, crimson scratches and trickling streams of blood. Trying harder, she could imagine the voice telling her "happy birthday, my precious Robin".

She would always remember...

Her birthdays in Ohara - days that began as any other day would.

A plain slab of bread eaten on the floor. There were only three chairs at the dining table and she never got to sit at the table when the family had meals at home.

One year, she had whispered as her aunt handed her bread, "It's my birthday today". Only to receive an incredulous look before her aunt turned to her uncle, entirely disregarding her existence as she said sourly, "Look at the wretch. Thinking we ought to give her special treatment because it's her birthday. As if we aren't already doing your sister a big favour by wasting _our_ money feeding the useless monster."

She silently ate tear-soaked bread that morning, ignoring the chatter and gossip exchanged at the table, and stopped expecting anything more.

After breakfast, after the family had left the house - her uncle for work, her aunt taking her cousin to school, however, was when her birthday _truly_ began. It was when she would run down the street, shod feet pattering light on sandy ground, to the great huge Tree of Knowledge.

There, she was welcomed with smiles that stretched from ear to ear as the occupants chorused in unison, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBIN!". There was merry laughter, streamers that hung from the high shelves, and a huge home-baked birthday cake lined with candles. And then, Professor Clover walked to her, an impressive figure with his height and fan-like hair and beard, patting her on the head before announcing to everyone.

"Today, our little Robin turns one year older!"

She would always remember...

Those treasured memories, because they were no longer to be found, lost in a blaze far taller and far more enormous than her helpless self, and the _only_ thing she could now do was to remember...

The times when those she held dear celebrated her birthday.

The times when her birthday was celebrated.

The times when she was not alone.

The first few years after she left Ohara, amidst the running and running and running from self-righteous marines, power-hungry government officers and beri-blinded villagers, she would remind herself on her special day. As she chewed on whatever food she could scrap that day, perhaps gather a mound of earth that would represent her cake, she would sing softly to herself, washing her face with tears, the birthday song that was sung by others only in her memories.

As time went on, it became more and more meaningless, and she had simply stopped.

"Where have you been, Miss. All Sunday?"

The sky wasn't any bluer, the sun didn't shine any brighter merely because it was her birthday.

"Does it matter, Mr. Zero, as long as I finish my job?" Neither meek nor crossing her limits.

Birthdays now were like any other day - where she strived for survival, strived to fulfil her dream... alone.

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Date started: 5 February 2007  
Date completed: 6 February 2007 

When I was writing the line "The sky wasn't any bluer, the sun didn't shine any brighter merely because it was her birthday.", I was thinking, it is the _people_ around one, one's family and friends, who make the sky _appear_ bluer and the sun _appear_ brighter or make it _not even matter_ whether the weather's fair, because they're the ones who make the day special...


End file.
